Does RRMS always progress to SPMS?

[bornworrier]

I was just wondering if it is at all possible to have a mild case of MS throughout one's lifetime?  I have had mild MS-like symptoms for 22 years now, without any major attacks..and symptoms which include bladder issues (frequency and feeling like I always have to go --this waxes and wanes,

sensory sensations-tingling, burning, very little numbness, pricking, feeling of liquid dripping under skin, vision issues (may have had optic neuritis right after I had the chicken pox), also some other minor vison issues like tons of floaters, weird distortions upon waking from deep sleep (goes away very quickly),

when cold fingers get a little numb quickly, same as with thighs, and when out in the cold i have pain in inner ear,

sometimes cant recall words, but this doesnt happen too often, no sexual desire.

I have not been diagnosed.  Last MRI's were 4 years ago of brain and C_spine and they were normal.  Is it possible to have normal brain and C-spine MRi's after having MS symptoms for 18 years? I also had normal MRI's years ago of brain and T-spine and normal spinal tap.

I believe I have MS because what else could it be after all these years?  All symptoms are MS symptoms, I am lucky they have all been mild.  The worst being the bladder.  It was my first symptom.    I have never had any problems walking, I can still work out fine at the gym doing strength training and eliptical machine.  My biceps and hamstrings seem like they may be somewhat weak as I am doing the exercises.

I am doing the OMS diet---Dr. George Jenelik.  If you would like to check it out the website is www.overcomingmultiplesclerosis.org.  I believe in this diet.  George JEnelik has MS, his mother had it too, and he has gone through all of the medical research and ;literature has come up with this diet plan-or lifestyle change that worked for him.  He has been on it for 10 years with no more progression and no symptoms of MS!!  There is proof in the works of Dr. Swank that a diet low in saturated fat works to stop the progression of MS.  

Anyway,  what I have found about the progression of RRMS is that it usually does progress to SPMS.  Does anyone have anymore information on this?  

Thanks for your help and taking the time to read my post.  

[ANonnyMouse]

Have you talked to other people (without illness) about your vision symptoms to see whether they have experienced it as well?

The tadpole thing is something a lot of my friends can see if they look closely enough in the right light - it's usually more visible as a reflection in sunglasses or spectacles where you see an up close view of your own eyeball, or when you are able to soften your focus and not look at anything specific.

I've always assumed it's just normal dust and particles on the surface of your eye. Mine look like little pipes, angled lines and dots. I remember being able to see these since I was about 7 or 8 and had my first pair of sunglasses... my friends and I used to spend hours examining our eyelashes this way! LOL.

You mentioned chickenpox - did you know chickenpox can also cause neurologic eye problems for a brief period after the illness?  It's not common, but certainly a known complication of it, and might be a less worrisome explanation for your troubles than optic neuritis as a symptom of MS.

I can understand your need to find a cause for your symptoms - it's a painfully common battle of many limbo-landers. But don't discount the fact that symptoms are sometimes totally benign and/or unrelated to each other.

Either way, I'd urge you to find a good doctor who will listen to your concerns, book in a double appointment if you can so you won't feel rushed, and work with the doctor to find the root cause of your health worries. There are a raft of tests available these days to assist diagnosis, and also a process of elimination to rule out other things.

[COBOB]

So I'm really agreeing with Twopack on this.  Most (80%+) of the serum cholesterol is not from dietary intake, but from production by the liver.  The body has the ability to produce cholesterol as needed.  It has been demonstrated in several studies that major reductions in dietary intake for some individuals produces no or modest reductions in serum cholesterol.  That is why statins have become a first line therapy.  Statins block the liver's production of cholesterol   A normal liver can produce 800-1500 milligrams daily even in the absence of dietary fat cholesterol.

There is a school of thought that says cholesterol without inflammation is a minor risk.  There seems to be a causal link between chronic inflammation and arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD.)  It seems that inflammation starts a cascade of events. While they have looked tha the COX-2 and other anti-inflammatory drugs, the issue may be the underlying diseases and their inflammation .    

The jury is still out, but it seems that keeping inflammation out of the body (be it naturally, with niacin, or statins) seems to be key.

Bob

[twopack]

Thank you.  The mere mention of this dietary necessity has snapped me back to reality.  My mission, and I DO choose to accept it, is to go find one!

Mary

[twopack]

The whole cholesterol thing puzzles me.  Cholerterol is THE essential ingredient in myelin.  If my body periodically needs to make myelin to repair what MS has stripped away, why do I want to drastically limit it's supply?

Oh yeah, I know my liver will most likely always supply all the cholesterol my body needs and in a much superior form for my personal use than any cow or chicken or pig can provide.

I must be missing the basics of the cholesterol and MS connection.

I figure the inflammatory aspect of MS must factor in.  Inflammation screams injury to the repair crews of the body.  They start laying down layers of cholesterol everywhere.  No damage in that little coronary vessel?  No problem.  We will fix 'er up anyway.  Will save us some trouble later.  NOT!!!!

Statins reduce inflammation and they do it at low doses of 5-10mg.  Is this what gives them their value instead of the drastic reduction of blood cholesterol?  I ask that because research has revealed that increased inflammation (measured by CRP and homocystine levels) can be a factor that increases the risk of developing cardiac disease.

So then, why did those Cox-2 anti-inflammatories that were so good at calming my arthritis pain get banned from manufacture because thay became a suspect in causing heart attacks?  Reducing inflammation is a good thing for the heart, no?  (While I'm at it, why can't I - me and my doctor - decide if it's beter for me to live with pain or risk heart disease?  Hummm?)

So I have managed to take this topic very far from it's origin.  Let's just use this rambled and scrambled collection of thoughts to point out that there is good reason real answers that last more than a minute are hard to come by, expecially where diet is concerned.

My apologies.  This 2011 thing could be taking a strange turn for me.
Mary

[MCBCON]

For some from a cow, others from goats and others from a soybean.  But, for me just a cookie is fine.

[COBOB]

And milk.  Have to get that Vit D!